Folding bed or bunk



Feb. 23, 1954 J. w. MARTIN FOLDING BED ORBUNK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1948 INVENTOE JOHN W. MART/N Feb. 23, 1954 J. w. MARTIN FOLDING BED OR BUNK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1948 W 40 W 1 Inn INVENTOQ JOHN WMAPT/N BY ATToRNEf Patented Feb. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDING BED on BUNK John W..Martin, Lima, Ohio Application June 9, 1943, Serial N0. 31,862

1 Claim. -1

The present invention relates to beds and bunks and particularly to a folding type foruse in automobiles, trucks, tents and the like.

Itis an object of the present invention to provide a bed or bunk of the folding type, that is light in weight and so designed that'when folded 'it is very compact, requiring very little storage space.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a foldingbed or bunk that is efiicient and safe when used in automobiles for children.

A still further objectofthe present invention is the provision of a bed or bunk that when used in an automobile will not interfere with storage space behind the front seat.

A still further object of the present invention the provision of a bed or bunk that may be -assembled or disassembledwith a minimum of effort and within a few minutes.

A still further object of the present invention the provision of a bed or bunk that islight in weight, rigid in structure and inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other obiectsin view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combination ofparts hereinafter more fully described and "claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of the device in a rolled or closed position.

Figure 2 is a bottom view of thedevice in a partially opened position, the rear legs being shown folded.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the device, the frame withits coveringbeing shown inits opened position, the legs being partially unfolded.

Figure 4 is a view of the frame per sepositioned in the rear seatportion of anautomobile, the body of the automobile being shown fragmentarily, the covering being omitted'from the frame.

Figure 5 isa top plan view of one of the hinges in folded position, portions being shown fragmentarily.

Figure 6 is a view similarto Figure 5 but showing the "hinge in open position, portions being shown fragmentarily.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of my novel socket joint.

Figure 8 is a front elevational view of a modifled form of the invention, and illustrating short front legs conforming to the length of the rear legs.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of a transverse base support for the rear legs of the frame.

Figure 10 is a plan viewcof a modified side rail hinge.

Figure 11 is a side elevational view of the modified side rail hinge formed for reception of a back rail.

In the drawings the numeral l0 represents a folding'bed or bunk and it comprises afront rail H, a backrail l2, and side rails 13, and these rails may be "of solid or tubular materialpthe views illustrated in Figures? and 3 being somewhat diagrammatic, the hinge elements being shown in detail in Figures 5 and 6.

To the front rail N there is pivotally connected 'by rivets l4 arm portions l5=of hinge elements portion 22 of a modified arc,the arcu-ateportions being for a purpose to be later described.

The legs 18 are connected to the front rail ll by a pair of links/23 and 24, links '23 being pivotally connected to legs l8 by rivets 25, links 24to the front rail I I by rivets 26, the links being connected together byrivets 21.

'Toone end of each-of the side rails i3thereis secured hinge elements 28 that are identical -to the hinge elements l6, and for the sake of clarity and the elimination of possible confusion, different numerals have been applied to the various parts of hinges 28. The arm portions 23 of the 'hinge'elements ZBstraddlethefrQnt rail Hand they are pivotally connected thereto ,by rivets 30, the body of the hingebeing rigidly secured to'sid'e rails 13 by rivets 2B, the arcuate portion 3| adapted to engage the front rail I I when in open position, while the arcuate portionBZ permitsthe side rails to be folded and lay .flatwhen folded against the front rail.

Adjacent the opposite ends of the side,rails-i3 thereis pivotally connectedbyerivets 33 thegarm portions 34 of hinge elements 35, and it can be clearly seen how the arm portions straddle the side rails [3. The bodies 36 of the hinge elements are rigidly secured to the rear legs 31 by rivets 31', and it is to be noted that legs 31 are shorter than less Hi. The legs 31 are connected to the side rails [3 by a pair of links 38 and 39, links 38 being pivotally connected to the legs 31 by rivets 40, links 3-9 to the side rails I3 by rivets 4|, the links being connected by rivets 42.

, The ends 43 of the side rails 13 may be formed into any desired configuration such as a V-shape, oblong, semi-round or round for a purpose to be later described. The ends 44 of the back rail l2 are formed into a recess 45 and the configuration of the recess may be U-shape, oblong, semisquare or semi-round to receive the ends 43 of the rails [3. In Figures 1, 2 and 4, the ends 44 of the back rail 12 are shown to be of U-shape configuration, and in Figures 2 and 4 the ends 43 of the side rails l3 are shown oblong. In Figure 7 the perspective view illustrates how the ends 43 of the side rails 13 engage the recess and lock the ends to'the back rail.

The frame is provided with a covering 46 that may be of canvas or any other suitable material. As shown in Figures 2 and 3 the edges of the material are folded over and are secured by stitches 48 forming pockets 4! for the rails Ii, 12 and [3, the pockets having cut out portions 50 that provide free movement of the legs, link connections and side rails without binding or interference with the covering 46.

In Figure 4 of. the drawings the frame of the bed or bunk is shown in its opened, operative position in the rear seat area "54 of an automobile 55, the covering 46 being omitted from the frame for clarity. The bottom ends of legs 37 are engaged in apertures 59 of cross bar 51' that may be used on the rear seat frame as shown in Figure 4. It is to be noted that storage space is available at areas 58 and 59. If desired the frame may be of such a size to permit the front legs I8 and the front edge of the bed or bunk to rest against the back 69 of the front seat 61.

In Figures 10 and 11 I have shown a hinge element 65 that may if desired be used for locking the side rails 13 to the back rail 12. The hinge .comprises arms 66 having apertures 67 and a tongue 68. The hinge is formed by bending the arms toward each other on the dotted lines 69, and the tongue 68 on the dotted line '19. As shown in Figure 11, the arms 66 are connected to side rails H by rivets 72, the socket formed by the hinge being engaged by the back rail .13.

In the reduced drawing Figure 8, I have shown a modified form of the present invention, wherein I have provided the front rail H with a pair of short legs '16 that are of the same length as the rear legs 37. The legs T are connected to the front rail by hinges "i1, and by links it and 19, links '18 being pivotally connected to legs 76 by rivets 8%, links 19 being pivotally connected to the front rail 15 by rivets 81, the links being connected together by rivets 92.

Hooks 83 may be provided on the back 66 of the front seat 6|, and hooks 84 may be provided on the back 85 of rear seat 89 for suspending the bed by suitable slings 8'! over the rear seat. With this construction the front legs may be folded with the rear legs open or rear legs folded and front legs open.

' In using the present device, as shown in Figme 1 the bed is so designed that it may be folded into a very compact bundle. In Figure 2 the bottom of the bed is shown in a partially opened position illustrating how the front legs open with the pivotally mounted links 23 and 24, the rear legs being in a folded position. In Figure 3 the bottom side of the bed is illustrated, the frame being in full open position, the side rails I3 being locked in the recesses of the rear rail [2, the front legs 18 and the rear legs being partially opened. In Figure 4 a side elevation of the frame is illustrated and it shows how the front frame is positioned in the rear area of a vehicle, with storage space between the bed and the top of an auto seat, and space between the back of the front seat and the front of the back seat.

In the use of the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 8, if it is desired to use the bed outside of a vehicle, legs iii are opened and these legs are of a length equal to the length of .the rear legs 31, thus providing a means for having the frame level, the legs (8 in this form of use would be folded against the front rail H.

While the present invention has been disclosed in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that these are by way of example rather than by way of limitation, and that the invention is to be defined by the attendant claim whichshould be given a. scope as broad as is consistent with the prior art.

I claim:

A collapsible childs bed forvehicles comprising rigid front, side and rear rails forming a, frame, a cover on said frame, legs pivotally mounted to the front rail and offset from the ends of said rail, each side rail having one end pivotally connected to the front rail, said rear rail being detachable from the side rails, legs pivotally con nected to the rear end. of said side rails and shorter than the front legs, a socket on each end of said rear rail in looking engagement with the rear end of each of said side rails, a cross bar on a rear seat of a vehicle having transversely positioned recesses, said. legs pivotally connected to said side rails having bottom ends engageable with the recesses in said cross bar.

JOHN W. MARTIN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Date France Oct. 19, 1915 

